US Sega Saturn question

[liveinabin]

Now I own a PAL Saturn but I want to play US and Japanese games, chipping it is such an expense (especially having the switch fitted for 50/60hz) so I'm thinking - I can pick up a US Saturn pretty cheap.

 

My question is this: How easy is it to get Japanese games running on a US Saturn. Is there some cartridge that'll make it possible?

[Adrian M]

It's pretty simple.

Most Japanese games will run on a US Saturn using just a simple, low-cost convertor cartridge.

 

You can find many variants of this cartridge (some with built-in memory, etc) at most online shops.

A good example of an all-purpose cart can be found here:

 

http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/EMS-ARP.html

[Raijin Z]

You can also edit the country code of the disc, but you can only do that to a disk image, and even then you've either have to perform a swap trick or install a mod chip to read the modified CDR.

[DeV0]

Now I own a PAL Saturn but I want to play US and Japanese games,  chipping it is such an expense (especially having the switch fitted for 50/60hz) so I'm thinking - I can pick up a US Saturn pretty cheap.

 

My question is this: How easy is it to get Japanese games running on a US Saturn.  Is there some cartridge that'll make it possible?

 

The best solution is an action replay cart, Lik-sang has them for cheap. A 50/60 mod is quite easy as well, But you'd want a switch as pal optimized games screw up in 60hz

[liveinabin]

Just had a look on Lik Sang for an Action Replay. Hmm, I recognize that horrible label on it. I ripped it off the one I bought 5 years ago! Had one all this time and never knew it played imports!

 

Gotta get me a switch now.

[Bruce Tomlin]

You can add a switch, but it's more complicated than a US/JPN switch. There are five inputs. Two of them select between US and JPN, and another selects PAL/NTSC. One of the other two (IIRC, having made one mod where I brought all five out to a DIP switch) needs to be switched for EUR region. The remaining one stays the same, but I think all four (not counting the PAL/NTSC select) are checked together as a 4-bit code.

 

This is all from memory. You'll have to search around on the net to find the mod switch info needed to make a EUR/US/JPN switch. Besides which, Sega made at least four versions of their motherboard, with the mod points in different places. In most of them they're both on the top and bottom of the motherboard.

 

I also recommend against making a switch dangle out the expansion port, as the wires to your switch will eventually go bad at the dangle point. It's best to find a switch small enough that you can have it peek out a grille hole in back and mount it to the lid that way.

[liveinabin]

Oh crap. That sounds pretty complicated!